Switch mechanism



Jan. 17, 1928.

. J 1,656,407 P. F. WILLEAMS' ET AL SWITCH MECHANISM Filed June 25, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I time, 65' 756,072

Jan, 17, 1928. 1,656,407

P, F. WlLLlAMS ET AL SWITCH MECHANISM Filed June 25, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 17, 1928. 1,656,407

P. F. WILLIAMS ET AL I *swITdH MECHANISM- Filed June 25, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 \w l @E" 4777 {I i i Jan. 17, 1928. 1,656,407

P. F. WILLIAMS ET AL SWITCH MECHANISM Filed June 25, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 17, 1928, I

UNITED STATES 1,656,407 PATENT onion-*1 PAUL I. WILLIAMS AND JOSEPH RAH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS T G. 6; W.

ELECTRIC SPECIALTY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

Application filed-June 25, 1926. Serial No. 118,417.

, I. g This invention relates to switch mechanism or circuit controlmechanism including mechanism and housing parts therefor, both of which are easily, uickly and safety converted from one com ination to another t "meet difierent service conditions.

One object of the invention is to provide simple, reliable, efiicient and safe switch or circuit. control mechanism in which the mechanism and the housing therefor may be easily and quickly converted from one combination to another to meet a plurality of different service conditions.

Another object is to provide simple, reliable and eflicient convertible switch or circuit control mechanism in which provision is made for the unit to be used in connection with lead encased-cables for use primarily in a vault or an underground manhole or on so apole in one instance, and in another in stance to be used with one such cable andone aerial cable for use primarily on a pole and also which may be used in a vault or manhole, and in another instance to be used on u a pole with two aerial cables.

Another object is to provide a switch casing having cooperating parts which are interchangeable for adapting the control unit for use in the different manners above described.

Another object is to provide switch or circuit control mechanism of the class described adapted to meet the various requirements under service conditions.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in

' which-- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of 0 switch or circuit control mechanism embodying our invention and showing an arrangement in connection with two lead encased cables for use primarily in a vault or in an underground manhole; 5 Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of 'the same arrangement taken at right angles to that shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, parts being broken away, of the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a front elevation, parts being in section, of the switch or circuit control unit converted for use in connection with a lead encased cable and an aerial; and,

slots 22 Figure 5 is a front elevation, parts being in section, of the circuit control unit converted for use in connection with two aerials.

; The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and-drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that the unitary switch mechanism is mounted upon two longitudinally extending pipes or supports 10 to which the main body portion of the casing 11 is clamped by any suitable clamping means 12. In this instance where the three phase four wire circuit is used, there is mounted upon and extending through suitable openings in the floor '13 of the casing 11-,two rows of porcelains 14:, four porcelains being in each row. Extending through each of said-'porcelains 1 1 is a conductor 15 terminating at its lower end in a stationary switch contact 16 adapted to cooperate with an associated movably mounted knife blade switch member '17. These movable knife blade switch members 17 are pivotally mounted upon a suitable central support or rod 18, and each knife blade switch member 17 is connected by a link 19 to opposite ends of an associated cross head 20, said cross head being carried upon a shaft 21 vertically movably mounted and guided in elongated of brackets 23 secured to and suspended from a raised portion 24 of the floor l3. Said brackets 23 also support the shaft 18 carrying the movable switch blades 17. For raising and lowering the switch members 17 and accordingly for closing and opening the circuit at the switch contacts 16, an operating shaft 25 is provided which has a suitable number of forked arms 26 secured thereto which slidably receive the shaft 21 and transmit the vertical movements thereto and through the links 19 to the movable switch members 17 Operatively connected to the operating shaft 25 is an operating 100 handle 27 which is located exterior to the casing 11 at one end thereof. The stationary and movable switch contacts 16 and 17 are housed in an oil containing tank 28 which is suspended from and secured to flanges 29 extending laterally from the casing 11, the securing means in this instance taking the form of studs 30.

Secured to the upper end of each of the conducting members is a stationary disconnect contact 31, each, as shown in Figure 1, being electrically connected to an associated disconnect contact 32 by a. man-.- ually operated disconnect blade 33, the lat-- ter being secured in an associated handle 34 and extending through a porcelain 35. The porcelains 35 are mounted upon a cover 36 which closes the to of the casing 11, which otherwise would e open. It Wlll be appreciated that there are two rows of disconnect members with four in each row, as shown particularly to Figures 1 and 2. A cap 37 covers the handles 34 of the disconnect blades 33. To remove a disconnect blade for breaking a circuit between the disconnect contacts 31 and 32, it is merely necessary to remove the cap 37 which may be rcmovably secured to the cover 36 of the casing 11.

As mentioned above, in Figures 1 and 2 the circuit control unit is illustrated .in connection with lead encased cables 38 for use primarily in. a vault or in an underground manhole. It will be understood, of course, that each cable, in this'instance, includes four conductors 39, each one of which is electrically connected by any suitable means to its associated conducting bar 40, having secured to its inner end the corresponding disconnect contact 32 cooperating with 33. Each conducting bar extends through a porcelain 41, which in turn is mounted in a plate 42 which is secured to the side of the casing 11. The conductors 39 extend up through a cable head 43 which likewise is secured to the casing 11, and also to the plate 42 by threaded members 44. The cable 38 extends through the pothead 45 which is connected to the lower end of the cable member 43.

As shown in Figure 1, the arrangement is duplicated on each side for use as mentioned above in connection with lead encased cables and where the circuit controlling mechanism is mounted primarily in a vault or underground manhole. With the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be understood that if for any. reason it becomes necessary to inspect or repair parts of the oil switch within the oil tank 28, to be perfectly safe thedisconnect blades 33 should be withdrawn from the associated disconnect contacts 31 and 32 which, as explained above, can be easily accomplished by first removing the cap 37 and then withdrawing said disconnect blades 33 by lifting on the handles 34. The circuit between the lead encased cables 38 will be broken at the disconnect contacts whether or not the circuit is broken at the oil switch contacts 16 and 17 thereby insuring complete safety to an operator or repairman.

' As shown in Figure 1, the openings 46 in aesaeor.

which the left-hand side of the unit remains the same as shown in Figure 1, but the righthand side of the unit is changed. The converted unit shown in Figure 4 is for use.

with one lead encased cable 38 and an aerial cable 47 for use primarily on a pole but it will be understood that it can be used also in a vault or manhole. In converting the unit from the arrangement shown in Fig ure 1 to that shown in Figure 4, it is merely necessary to withdraw the right-hand disconnect blades 33, as shown in Figure 1, and remove the .cable head 43' with which as a unit, the plate 42 and associated right-hand disconnect blades 32 are removed. An aerial disconnect 48 is then substituted for the disconnect blades 33 for forming an electrical connection between the aerial cable 47 and the four associated disconnect contacts 31. The movable disconnectblades 49, in this instance, are connected to the four conductors 52 forming the aerial cable 47. The disconnect blades 49 extend through the porcelain bushing 50 mounted upon and extending through the same openings in the cover 36 of the casing 11. a handle 51 being provided for each disconnect blade 49.

When the circuit arrangement shown in.

Figure 4 is used, a single cover plate 53 is secured to the sides of the casing 11 for closing the opening 46 in the casing. In other Words, the closure plate 53 then. takes the place of the cable head 43 and plate 42, closing the opening 46 in the casing 11.

If it is desired to change to an aerial system throughout, such may be done by changing the left-hand side of 'the unit shown in Figure 4 in identically the same way as the right-hand side has been changed in Figure4, the unit then appearing as shown in Figure 5.

Accordingly, we have provided a convertible switch or circuit control unit which may be readily and quickly converted from one arrangement into another for particularly meeting the three conditions or uses mentioned hereinabove. The unit is readily and quickly converted, requiring the minimum number of parts, making operation safe throughout, and eliminating the cost incident to providing three separate and dis tinct units.

In view of the fact that the design of a manhole is controlled by the minimum allowable radius that a cable can be bent with out injuring it, the various parts of the easing and the removable disconnect members are designed and located with respect tothe dill casing to require the minimum clearance space for operation in'a manhole.

We claim:

1. In circuit control mechanism, the combination of a casing, switch contacts .mounted therein for opening and closing circuits, disconnect contacts electrically connected to said switch contacts, and disconnect current conducting members which may selectively electrically connect said disconnect contacts to contacts disposed in diiferent walls of said casing to convert the circuit control unit to meet difierent conditions for use in manholes, vaults, aerial mountings and cornloinations thereof.

2. In circuit control mechanism, the combination of a casing, switch contacts mounted therein for opening and closing circuits, disconnect contacts electrically connected to said switch contacts, and disconnect current conducting members insertable into said casing and which may selectively electrically connect each of said disconnect contacts to any one of a plurality of selected contacts for converting the circuit control unit to meet difierent conditions for use in manholes, vaults, aerial mountings and combinations thereof.

3. In circuit control mechanism, the combination of a casing having openings therein, switch contacts mounted in said casing for opening and closing circuits, disconnect contacts electrically connected to said switch contacts, and disconnect current conducting members insertable through said openings, removably secured to said casing and being selectively electrically connected to said disconnect contacts and to any one of a plurality of selected contacts for converting the circuit control unit to meet difierent conditions for use in manholes, vaults, aerial mountings and combinations thereof.

4. In circuit control mechanism, the combination of a casing, disconnect contacts mounted in said casing, and disconnect current conducting members which may selectively electrically connect said disconnect contacts to any one of a plurality of selected contacts removably mounted on said casing for converting the circuit control unit to meet difierent conditions for use in manholes, vaults, aerial mountings and combinations thereof.

5. In circuit control mechanism, the combination of a casing, switch contacts mounted therein for opening and closing circuits, disconnect contacts electrically connected to said switch contacts, disconnect current conducting members Which may selectively electrically connect said disconnect contacts to any one of a plurality of contacts, and an additional disconnect contact which may be selectively electrically connected to one of other disconnect contacts by an associated disconnect conductor whereby the circuit control unit may be converted to meet differ ent conditions for use in manholes, vaults, aerial mountings and combinations thereof.

6. In circuit control mechanism, the combination of a casing having openings therein, a plain closure member which may be used for closing said openings, and another closure member carrying a disconnect contact, said closure members being selectively applied to said casing for use depending upon the use of the circuit control unit to meet diderent conditions for use in manholes, vaults, aerial mountings and combinations thereof.

7. In circuit control mechanism, the combination of a casing having a body portion with a top opening and an opening on one side, a disconnect contact mounted in said body portion, interchangeable cover membersfor said side opening, one only of said cover members carrying a disconnect contact, and a cover for the top opening selectively carrying disconnect members of ditferent descriptions, one for forming an electrical connection between said two disconnect contacts when one of said side cover members is used, and for forming an electrical connection with one only of said disconnect contacts when the other side cover member is used,

8. In circuit control mechanism, the combination with a casing having a body portion with a top opening and an opening on one side, a disconnect contact mounted in said body portion, interchangeable cover members for said side opening, a disconnect contact carried by one of said cover members, the other cover member carrying no contact, and a cover for the top opening selectively carrying a disconnect member for forming an electrical connection between said two disconnect contacts when one of said cover members is used, or forming an electrical connection with one only of said contacts and an aerial conductor when said other side cover member is used.

9. In circuit control mechanism, the combination of a casing having a body portion with a top opening and an opening one one side, a disconnect contact mounted in said body portion, a cable head carrying a disconnect contact and being adapted to be secured to said casing and covering said side opening, a cover plate adapted to be secured to said casing to cover said same side opening when said cable head is not used, a cover for the top opening, and interchangeable disconnect members adapted to be carried by said top cover, one of which disconnect members is adapted to form an electrical connection between said two disconnect contacts when said cable head is used, and the other of said disconnect members forming an electrical connection with oneonly of said disconnect contacts when said cover plate is used.

10. In circuit control mechanism, the combination of a casing having a body portion with a side opening, a disconnect contact mounted in said body portion, a cover plate for said opening carrying a current conducting member to be electrically connected to said disconnectcontact under certain conditions, separate and removable means connecting said contact and said current conducting member, and a second cover plate for said opening to be used when a difi'erent electrical connection is to be made with said disconnect contact.

. 11. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing having a plurality of difierently disposed closable openings ,adapted to receive current conductors of overhead or underground nature, contact members disposed in said casing, a switch nesaeoa cooperating with said contacts to electrically connect same, and disconnect members cooperating With said contacts and selected cable contacts to electrically connect said cables through said contacts, disconnects and switch members. I

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing, selectively closable openings in said casing disposed in angularly disposed sides of said casing, cable leads having contacts selectively disposed in said openings, disconnect contacts disposed in said casing, a switch cooperatin with said disconnect contacts to electrical y connect said disconnect contacts, and disconnect members connecting disconnect contacts and said first named contacts in pairs.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 22nd day of June, 1926.

PAUL F. WILLIAMS. JOSEPH RAH. 

